Buddy pass LAX to Germany
Apr 19, 2014, 6:46 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5
Buddy pass LAX to Germany
A united employee is offering me a buddy pass. I need to be in Germany before May 20th. I have a lot of time flexibility and am willing to suffer a bit. That time of the year, are the flights so full that I should forget it?
I was planning to leave a week before the 20th.
I have never done a buddy pass before and have some basic questions.
There are several routes to Germany, through chicago, houston, ny, texas and I can go to either frankfurt or munich. I assume that the day of the flight I would be making a bunch of decisions based on seats. What I do not understand is if it is me making these decisions or does my employee friend have to do it on my behalf. Obviously I dont want to annoy my friend and would rather deal with it myself.
Any advice?
Or should I just book thru orbitz and avoid the hassle?
Sorry to be such a noob...
I was planning to leave a week before the 20th.
I have never done a buddy pass before and have some basic questions.
There are several routes to Germany, through chicago, houston, ny, texas and I can go to either frankfurt or munich. I assume that the day of the flight I would be making a bunch of decisions based on seats. What I do not understand is if it is me making these decisions or does my employee friend have to do it on my behalf. Obviously I dont want to annoy my friend and would rather deal with it myself.
Any advice?
Or should I just book thru orbitz and avoid the hassle?
Sorry to be such a noob...
Apr 19, 2014, 6:52 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: EWR, BDL
Posts: 4,471
A united employee is offering me a buddy pass. I need to be in Germany before May 20th. I have a lot of time flexibility and am willing to suffer a bit. That time of the year, are the flights so full that I should forget it?
I was planning to leave a week before the 20th.
I have never done a buddy pass before and have some basic questions.
There are several routes to Germany, through chicago, houston, ny, texas and I can go to either frankfurt or munich. I assume that the day of the flight I would be making a bunch of decisions based on seats. What I do not understand is if it is me making these decisions or does my employee friend have to do it on my behalf. Obviously I dont want to annoy my friend and would rather deal with it myself.
Any advice?
Or should I just book thru orbitz and avoid the hassle?
Sorry to be such a noob...
I was planning to leave a week before the 20th.
I have never done a buddy pass before and have some basic questions.
There are several routes to Germany, through chicago, houston, ny, texas and I can go to either frankfurt or munich. I assume that the day of the flight I would be making a bunch of decisions based on seats. What I do not understand is if it is me making these decisions or does my employee friend have to do it on my behalf. Obviously I dont want to annoy my friend and would rather deal with it myself.
Any advice?
Or should I just book thru orbitz and avoid the hassle?
Sorry to be such a noob...
Apr 19, 2014, 7:16 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 376
A united employee is offering me a buddy pass. I need to be in Germany before May 20th. I have a lot of time flexibility and am willing to suffer a bit. That time of the year, are the flights so full that I should forget it?
I was planning to leave a week before the 20th.
I have never done a buddy pass before and have some basic questions.
There are several routes to Germany, through chicago, houston, ny, texas and I can go to either frankfurt or munich. I assume that the day of the flight I would be making a bunch of decisions based on seats. What I do not understand is if it is me making these decisions or does my employee friend have to do it on my behalf. Obviously I dont want to annoy my friend and would rather deal with it myself.
Any advice?
Or should I just book thru orbitz and avoid the hassle?
Sorry to be such a noob...
I was planning to leave a week before the 20th.
I have never done a buddy pass before and have some basic questions.
There are several routes to Germany, through chicago, houston, ny, texas and I can go to either frankfurt or munich. I assume that the day of the flight I would be making a bunch of decisions based on seats. What I do not understand is if it is me making these decisions or does my employee friend have to do it on my behalf. Obviously I dont want to annoy my friend and would rather deal with it myself.
Any advice?
Or should I just book thru orbitz and avoid the hassle?
Sorry to be such a noob...
EDIT: Just realized you're leaving out of LAX. Obviously try for the LAX-FRA nonstop, but if full, I'd then go to SFO and try for one of those two flights daily on the 747!
Apr 19, 2014, 7:32 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,933
Employee privileges --- i.e. - "Buddy Passes" SHOULD NOT be discussed on this forum as JOSECONLSCREW28 indicates. This should all be explained to the OP by the employee sponsoring the pass. Wanna screw up passes for your buddy, rely on information gained by people that should not be giving advice.
Apr 19, 2014, 7:55 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Houston
Programs: UA Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 12,686
I'm surprised by the negative attitude toward our new friend. There's plenty of UA staff on this board who can answer his questions about how buddy passes work.
Plenty of questions could be answered off the forum, but are answered on the forum every day.
Plenty of questions could be answered off the forum, but are answered on the forum every day.
Apr 19, 2014, 8:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
From my experience, mid-May is still a good time to nonrev to Europe. Late June, when summer vacation begins for the school kids, is really the time when nonrev travel to Europe is discouraged. Midweek (Mon-Thu) is better than Fri- Sun, ditto for the flight back. I would ask your friend about sample loads for a few days on SFO-FRA, just to get a feel about the chances. Good luck!
Apr 19, 2014, 8:39 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
These questions are also going on a DL thread about buddy passes.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html
I posted on that thread.
The first link is about DL (available all over the net) and I believe UA has the same rules.
The second link covers all airlines.
I agree this should not be on FT, but a quick google search provides many answers. The person that gave you the pass should have explained this to you and they can check flt availability. I've used a buddy pass years ago, it was not my cup of tea. The employee is also responsible for your actions. Read the Delta buddy pass link above.
Happy travels.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ve-thread.html
I posted on that thread.
I found this one from DL. Good info:
http://travelinfo.delta.com/dlnonrev/Buddy_quette.pdf
Here is another (not from DL):
http://nomadiknation.com/q-a-how-to-...-work-for-you/
Remember you are S4 (low). You should have the person that gave you the pass check flts for you.
http://travelinfo.delta.com/dlnonrev/Buddy_quette.pdf
Here is another (not from DL):
http://nomadiknation.com/q-a-how-to-...-work-for-you/
Remember you are S4 (low). You should have the person that gave you the pass check flts for you.
The second link covers all airlines.
I agree this should not be on FT, but a quick google search provides many answers. The person that gave you the pass should have explained this to you and they can check flt availability. I've used a buddy pass years ago, it was not my cup of tea. The employee is also responsible for your actions. Read the Delta buddy pass link above.
Happy travels.
Apr 19, 2014, 8:40 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 376
OP cannot use buddy pass on LH's LAX-FRA.
From my experience, mid-May is still a good time to nonrev to Europe. Late June, when summer vacation begins for the school kids, is really the time when nonrev travel to Europe is discouraged. Midweek (Mon-Thu) is better than Fri- Sun, ditto for the flight back. I would ask your friend about sample loads for a few days on SFO-FRA, just to get a feel about the chances. Good luck!
From my experience, mid-May is still a good time to nonrev to Europe. Late June, when summer vacation begins for the school kids, is really the time when nonrev travel to Europe is discouraged. Midweek (Mon-Thu) is better than Fri- Sun, ditto for the flight back. I would ask your friend about sample loads for a few days on SFO-FRA, just to get a feel about the chances. Good luck!
Apr 19, 2014, 8:47 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
I believe buddy passes given by a UA employee can only be used on UA metal or connection carriers. Again, as I stated above I used them once and being S4 is not fun. It is a gamble. That's why I moved to LAS, my odds are better.
To the OP, talk to the UA employee that gave you the buddy passes.
To the OP, talk to the UA employee that gave you the buddy passes.
Apr 19, 2014, 8:49 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 376
I believe buddy passes given by a UA employee can only be used on UA metal or connection carriers. Again, as I stated above I used them once and being S4 is not fun. It is a gamble. That's why I moved to LAS, my odds are better.
To the OP, talk to the UA employee that gave you the buddy passes.
To the OP, talk to the UA employee that gave you the buddy passes.
Apr 19, 2014, 9:00 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
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Posts: 5,898
Employee privileges --- i.e. - "Buddy Passes" SHOULD NOT be discussed on this forum as JOSECONLSCREW28 indicates. This should all be explained to the OP by the employee sponsoring the pass. Wanna screw up passes for your buddy, rely on information gained by people that should not be giving advice.
Apr 19, 2014, 9:02 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: PDX
Programs: DL Plat, UA Plat 1MM, AS MVP, Hyatt Discoverist, Avis Presidents Club, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 3,938
To the OP-
In general, given that you have flexibility both in terms of when you go and how far in advance you are leaving, I think you should fairly easily be able to get there on the buddy pass. You will want help from your friend or another employee to check the specific flights you will be trying, but as you point out, there are many options to get between LAX and FRA or MUC on United metal, so if you start a few days in advance I think it should work.
In general, given that you have flexibility both in terms of when you go and how far in advance you are leaving, I think you should fairly easily be able to get there on the buddy pass. You will want help from your friend or another employee to check the specific flights you will be trying, but as you point out, there are many options to get between LAX and FRA or MUC on United metal, so if you start a few days in advance I think it should work.
Apr 19, 2014, 9:06 pm
#14
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAS HNL
Programs: DL DM, 5.7 MM, UA 3.1 MM, MARRIOTT PLATINUM, AVIS FIRST, Amex Black Card
Posts: 4,479
My link above provides that answer:
http://travelinfo.delta.com/dlnonrev/Buddy_quette.pdf
The OP's contact should be the employee. This link is about DL, but I am sure UA, AA, US, WN etc. set the same type of rules.
http://travelinfo.delta.com/dlnonrev/Buddy_quette.pdf
The OP's contact should be the employee. This link is about DL, but I am sure UA, AA, US, WN etc. set the same type of rules.
Apr 19, 2014, 9:11 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 8,634
My link above provides that answer:
http://travelinfo.delta.com/dlnonrev/Buddy_quette.pdf
The OP's contact should be the employee. This link is about DL, but I am sure UA, AA, US, WN etc. set the same type of rules.
http://travelinfo.delta.com/dlnonrev/Buddy_quette.pdf
The OP's contact should be the employee. This link is about DL, but I am sure UA, AA, US, WN etc. set the same type of rules.
My primary contact for my tickets to XYZ event may be some customer relations person named Bob, but that doesn't mean I can't ask someone else what seats I should pick. I'm just not seeing the problem here...
